California Black Media

Rep. Barbara Lee’s “Food as Medicine” Vision Becomes Federal Program

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) commended the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for launching the first-ever Food is Medicine (FIM) initiative virtual toolkit. The service is an interactive website with resources to advance the initiative nationwide to help communities reduce nutrition-related chronic diseases and food insecurity. Lee applauded the HHS for supporting the development and expansion of the initiative across the country.

Published

2 years ago

October 15, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) commended the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for launching the first-ever Food is Medicine (FIM) initiative virtual toolkit. The service is an interactive website with resources to advance the initiative nationwide to help communities reduce nutrition-related chronic diseases and food insecurity.

Lee applauded the HHS for supporting the development and expansion of the initiative across the country.

“The online toolkit will go a long way in helping communities across the country understand how to implement FIM programs and why they are critical to the people they serve. To put it simply: Nutritious foods are the cornerstone of good health,” said Lee.

“I look forward to working alongside local, state, and federal stakeholders as we continue to work to ending hunger and to transforming our ‘disease care system’ to a true health care system,” she said.

The HHS hosted its first-ever Food is Medicine Summit in January 2024, developing the FIM initiative and raising $2 million secured by Lee to launch the national Food as Medicine Program.

During her time in Congress, Lee has been an outspoken advocate fighting for people to have equal access to healthy and nutritious food and resources to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The FIM initiative was created building on the success of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health hosted by the Biden-Harris Administration. The conference had various stakeholders from various industries including medical professionals, policymakers, advocates, researchers, and farmers. Attendees at the conference helped craft a national strategy to end hunger in the country.

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Oakland Post: Week of June 17 – 23, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 17 – 23, 2026

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2 weeks ago

June 20, 2026

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IN MEMORIAM: Longtime OUSD Employee Debra King-Cooper, 73

Longtime OUSD Employee Debra King-Cooper, 73 Caption: Debra King-Cooper. Courtesy photo. Special to The Post Debra King-Cooper, a beloved mother, grandmother, queen, sister, church member, caregiver, and matriarch, transitioned peacefully on May 20 surrounded by family and love i

Published

2 weeks ago

June 17, 2026

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Debra King-Cooper. Courtesy photo.

Special to The Post

Debra King-Cooper, a beloved mother, grandmother, queen, sister, church member, caregiver, and matriarch, transitioned peacefully on May 20 surrounded by family and love in the comfort of her home. To her children, she was royalty, grace, strength, and unconditional love embodied.

Debra Diane Edgar was born on May 28, 1952, in San Francisco, California, to Charles Edgar Sr. and Mamie Arthur Edgar. She was raised alongside her younger brother, Charles Edgar Jr., affectionately known as “Little Brother” or “Lil Bruh.” She also shared close bonds with her older siblings Carol Edgar-Lang, Maryann Edgar Calloway, and Lonnie Lewis Sr.

A proud product of San Francisco’s historic Fillmore District, Debra attended Andrew Jackson Elementary School, where she met her lifelong best friend and adopted sister, Lynn Green, in the fifth grade. She later attended Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary School, Roosevelt Junior High School and Thomas Jefferson High School.

Debra’s mother transitioned when she was only 17 years old, and her father transitioned when she was 23. Despite these profound losses, Debra remained grounded through the love and support of extended family and lifelong family friends,

In 1971, she married Harold King. On Sept. 24, 1972, they welcomed their first son, Dajuan Artese King, affectionately called “Pop” or “Poppa.” On Aug. 5, 1976, they welcomed their second son, Dante Dupree King, affectionately called “Tay” or “Taboocoo the Baby.”

After her divorce in 1982, Debra assumed full responsibility for raising her sons.

She supported Dajuan’s passion for football by purchasing sports equipment and attending games faithfully. She supported Dante’s love of music by enrolling him in the San Francisco Boys Choir, Oakland Boys Choir, and the Castlemont Castleers.

Professionally, Debra built an exceptional career. She worked at Blue Shield of California from 1973 until 1994, earning multiple promotions.

She later joined the Oakland Unified School District, initially in a temporary role before being promoted into management within the Labor Relations Department. She retired from OUSD in 2015 after years of distinguished service. During her years at OUSD, she built meaningful friendships with her colleagues.

Faith was central to Debra’s life. During the 1980s, following personal hardship, she joined Love Center Church under the leadership of Bishop Walter Hawkins, where she brought her children regularly. She later became a member of Triumphant: A Church Without Walls Ministries under Pastor Dr. Larry Short, who became a beloved spiritual mentor.

After Triumphant closed in 1992, Debra joined Cosmopolitan Baptist Church in Oakland under the leadership of Pastor Larry Ashley, where she remained for the rest of her life.

At Cosmopolitan, she worked in numerous ministries. She served on the usher board, sang in the choir, participated in the AIDS ministry during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, helped feed and support unhoused community members, and mentored and supported a group of young girls.

After retirement, she cared for older adults in her church community, driving them to appointments, cleaning their homes, managing finances, preparing meals, and helping families navigate funeral arrangements after loved ones transitioned.

Even while battling Stage 4 cancer herself, she continued caring for others.

Debra was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Edgar Sr. and Mamie Arthur Edgar; her brothers, Lonnie Lewis Sr. and Charles Edgar Jr.; her sisters, Maryann Edgar Calloway and Victoria Stephenson Knight; and her adopted mother, Clara Oliver.

She leaves to cherish her memory her beloved sons, Dajuan King and Dante King; grandson, Tiyler Dajuan Artese King; sister, Carol Edgar-Lang; goddaughters Monique Belle and Ricketa Matthews Jones (Leonard); daughter-in-love Quiona Sullivan; son-in-love Marcel Walker; sister-in-law Delores Lewis; adopted sisters and lifelong friends Lynn Green, Barbara Stephenson Hill, and Sarah Fine; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, great-nieces, great-nephews, extended family members, her church family and dear friends.